The Rise of the Third Reich

"Yes, Major General, these are the German flying bombs!"

Genda Minoru's answer surprised both Yamamoto and Onishi. Things like suicide planes should be the product of a dog jumping over the wall in a hurry. Germany is at the height of its power now. It is winning steadily on the battlefield. Why is there no need to die together with the enemy?

"According to the Germans themselves, he actually had the idea of ​​building a 'man-operated missile' as early as 1934, and also made a prototype in 1939."

Genda Minoru's explanation made Yamamoto and Onishi suddenly realize. In 1934, Germany was still relatively weak and could be attacked by Britain and France at any time, so it had to acquire weapons that could kill the enemy together. In 1939, the war had just begun. Facing "strong enemies" such as Britain, France, and Poland, Germany also had an uncertain future, so it had to hold back some of its trump cards. It shouldn't be needed now.

"Hey," Onishi Takijiro held the photo again and was surprised, "Why does this man flying bombs not have a cockpit? Where is he sitting? Also, this... thing has wings but no propellers. What on earth is it? "

"This is a human-operated rocket." Minoru Genda explained, "I saw this on a light cruiser in Kiel Port. This aircraft does not use a traditional piston engine to drive a propeller for propulsion; It uses a ramjet engine... Did you see the tube on its back? This one is propelled by jets of fire."

"I've heard of this kind of thing, and some of us are also studying it." Onishi Takijiro looked at the photo and asked, "Then how can this thing be 'human'?"

"Use radio or wire control!" Genda Minoru said, "I heard from the accompanying German officer that this kind of 'manned rocket' can theoretically hit 20 to 30 kilometers away, and the flight speed can reach 640 kilometers. It is equipped with an armor-piercing rocket. The warhead can carry up to 800 kilograms of explosives. During combat, it can be launched from a launcher similar to a seaplane catapult, and then controlled by personnel on the destroyer through radio or towing wires, allowing it to attack more accurately. Large enemy surface ships 15-20 kilometers away.”

This is actually the naval version of the V1 missile! It can also be regarded as the most primitive ship-based anti-ship missile. Now Germany does not engage in strategic bombing, so the German Air Force is not very interested in V1 missiles. However, the German Navy and Naval Aviation realized the value of this missile. They combined the original V1 missile and the guided bomb under development to create this "human rocket", also codenamed V1, and its full name is "V1 anti-ship rocket launcher". However, the "V" here does not mean "revenge weapon", but "Volkswagen", because this weapon is produced by Volkswagen.

After listening to Genda Minoru's explanation, the eyes of Yamamoto Isoroku and Onishi Takijiro turned red. The bomb with an 800 kilogram charge flew out at a speed of 640 kilometers per hour to hit targets 15-20 kilometers away, and it could also use radio or Controlled by wires... Wouldn't it be possible to use ships like light cruisers to sink battleships?

"Japan must have such a weapon!" Yamamoto Isoroku immediately made a decision, "We must get it out no matter what!"

"Commander, the current German man-operated rocket technology is not mature." Genda Minoru said, "The rockets often malfunction, and the guidance system is unreliable. Therefore, the Germans have developed a backup technology, using rear-mounted rockets. Piston engines and propellers replace rockets, while manned pilots replace wireless or wired controls.”

As he spoke, Genda Minoru took out another photo from the table and handed it to Yamamoto Isoroku with both hands. This photo looks more like a rear-engine airplane with a small plexiglass-covered cockpit.

"Has this kind of human-operated flying bomb been put into use?" Yamamoto Fifty-Six asked.

Genda shook his head, "No."

"Why?"

"Because the personnel escape device always fails," Genda said. "The Germans don't want the personnel driving this kind of flying bomb to perish together with the enemy ships, but they want to let them leave the flying bomb at the last moment, but this is not easy to do. become."

In fact, research on this type of manned flying bomb has just begun. It was inspired by Churchill's Dauntless aircraft. There is not even a prototype yet, it is just a wooden sample made to fool the Japanese.

"A woman's kindness!" Onishi Takijiro shook his head, "If the Germans don't build any escape devices, wouldn't it be easy to annihilate the British Home Fleet? And once the British Home Fleet is wiped out, Germany will win the war!"

He suddenly turned to look at Yamamoto Isoroku, "Your Excellency, Commander, we should create this kind of man-operated flying bomb, which can not only be launched from ships, but can also be dropped by aircraft, so that we can be sure of victory!"

Yamamoto Isoroku seemed to be hesitant. Onishi Takijiro stamped his feet and said: "General, even countries like the United Kingdom and Germany are doing it now. What reason do we in Japan have not to do it? Does the general think that we have more capital than Britain and Germany?" Want more?"

Yamamoto Isoroku was startled when he heard this, and then nodded, "Onishi-kun is right. Our empire has always been about weak fighting against strong, and we navy soldiers should use all possible means to repay your kindness."

…

"Your Majesty, Lieutenant General Tojo, Minister of War, is not only courageous in his duties, but also has the morale of the military. He is also loyal to Your Majesty. He is indeed the best choice to serve as Prime Minister and lead the empire through the difficult times."

Just when Yamamoto Isoroku was determined to use all means to repay the emperor's kindness, in the Tokyo Imperial Palace, the internal minister Kido Koichi was "bullying the emperor" - talking nonsense, recommending Japan to Emperor Hirohito who was sitting on the throne. Hideki Jo becomes prime minister.

Emperor Hirohito tilted his head slightly and listened very carefully to every word. He didn't think that Kido Koichi was fooling him. After Konoe Fumimaro and others merged the major political parties in Japan into the Great Political Party, Hirohito was not just the emperor, but the leader or general secretary of Japan's only legal political party. ...Anyway, who becomes the Prime Minister now is a matter of his words.

As for Tojo Hideki recommended by Kido Koichi, "General Secretary" Hirohito is very familiar with him. Although that person is a bit reckless, he is not very good at using his brain. But he is a person who is willing to do things, and he can also accomplish great things. This is different from Konoe Fumimaro. Although Konoe has a flexible mind, he also considers problems carefully. But he is not a person who does big things. He is indecisive when encountering big things and refuses to take responsibility at all. He is about to retreat before the war with the United States begins. But that's fine, let Konoe retreat and let Tojo do the work.

Thinking of this, Japan's Showa Emperor Hirohito nodded, "The person you recommended is very suitable for me. Now that the country is in troubled times, we should use ministers who have the courage to do their jobs. Kido, please go to the residence of the Minister of War and order Tojo The minister came to see you!"

…

"Marshal, I just received a telegram from the attaché of the embassy in Tokyo. The general of the Konoe cabinet resigned, and Emperor Showa appointed former Minister of War Hideki Tojo to form the cabinet."

"Hideki Tojo? Look, Japan is determined to go to war!" In the General Staff Building of the German Wehrmacht, Hersmann suddenly interrupted Natalie, who was reporting political and diplomatic intelligence about various countries to him. He frowned slightly and said to himself Said to himself.

Natalie glanced at Hersman, and then reported: "In addition, the military attache stationed in Tokyo also reported that Japan will send a high-level military delegation to visit our country in the near future to discuss strengthening technical cooperation and joint operations."

This is obviously Tojo Hideki's decision after becoming Prime Minister, to fully join forces with Germany to deal with the big BOSS of the United States.

Natalie continued: "Someone, under the name of 'A German Bolshevik,' published an article in Pravda titled "Is Germany a Socialist Country?" In addition, "Pravda" also published it on an important page News that the heir to the Romanov dynasty, Grand Duchess Kira, has become the Crown Princess of Germany!”

She looked at Hessmann and said: "Marshal, "Pravda" is the organ of the Bolshevik Party of the Soviet Union. The articles and news on it are all politically oriented... like "Is Germany a Socialist Country?" The article would not have been published in Pravda without the approval of the Propaganda and Agitation Department of the Bolshevik Party!”

"The Soviet Union is also creating public opinion for war!" Of course Hersman knew the weight of the article in "Pravda".

"Yes," Natalie said seriously, "Y ideology is very important to the Soviet Union. If the Soviet Bolshevik Party called us 'socialist comrades and brothers,' then the war would not break out immediately."

This is Soviet-style political correctness, led by GC-ism’s Y ideology. It is unlikely that the Soviet Red Army would launch a surprise attack on “socialist comrades and brothers” and “great comrades-in-arms of the world revolution.”

It would be fine if this kind of treacherous raid could go straight to Berlin, but Germany is not so easy to deal with. Although Hessmann has no intention of actively attacking the Soviet Union, it does not mean that he will not prepare for defense on the eastern border. In fact, after the end of the Polish campaign, the German army has been strengthening the defense in the eastern region (including the Baltics, Western Ukraine and Poland), and there is no possibility of a sudden attack.

And once the Soviet-German war turned into a protracted war with heavy casualties, the Soviet people's own thinking would be confused - why did they suddenly attack the good comrades and brothers of the world revolution? Is this consistent with Marxism-Leninism? Is it because there is a communist traitor in the central government?

Therefore, Stalin would not naively think that he could defeat Germany with a sneak attack. If he really wanted to go to war with Germany, he must first make political and ideological preparations. We must let the kind-hearted Soviet people recognize the true face of the German Nazis!